A Royal Pain
by sunkyuchuu
Summary: AU set way way way before the events of the Hobbit. Featuring a marriage between a grumpy village girl named Ninaereul and a conceited prince named Thranduil. They fight constantly and bicker endlessly, but can the two grow to love each other for the sake of the kingdom? Hmm I wonder... read on and find out!
1. Chapter 1

Ninaereul twirled her nervously. The long brown tendrils had been mostly put up by the Elven maid who fluttered around her. The few loose strands that remained, "for style" served to ease her growing nerves. The maid, Coeleth, finally stood back after placing a simple silver circlet on Ninaereul's head.

"There," she crooned, "you look like a true princess."

"Oh, I'm hardly a princess," Ninaereul muttered shyly.

"Nonsense! You're marrying Prince Thranduil! That makes you Princess Ninaereul!" Coeleth insisted.

Ninaereul nodded along to appease the elven maiden but she couldn't help the scowl that formed on her face at the mention of Thranduil. The little scumbag was the cause of all of her problems and nerves. She had all intentions to reject the marriage proposal, despite her father's pleas, but the prince had accepted first. And there was simply no way she could reject the prince of Greenwood. She scrunched her eyebrows furiously, trying to understand why in the world Thranduil had accepted. It wasn't as if the two had gotten off on the right foot….

_Ninaereul sucked in her breath as she held the bow steady. The fletching of the arrow lightly grazed her cheek as she narrowed her eyes at her target. The deer paused during its meal, as if it felt the presence of the other being. She had to make the kill quickly. She breather out, in again, and was about to release the arrow when-_

"_What are you doing?" a quiet voice asked from behind. _

_Ninaereul yelped and her arrow skipped past its target hitting a tree instead. The deer scurried away quickly leaving Ninaereul gaping at where it had stood. _

"_You have a poor shot." The voice noted with a light tone of amusement. _

"_A POOR SHOT? YOU ASSHOLE! I AL-" She screamed whirling around and stopping abruptly as she took in the person behind the mysterious voice. His eyes were a deep azure and were framed with thick yet eloquent brows. Straight blonde hair fell to his chest and tiny points peaked out from where his ears were hiding. _

"_You're an elf" she gaped. _

"_And you are clearly very observant" he commented returning her gaze. He scoffed lightly before turning around and beginning to walk away. _

"_Hold on! Where do you think you're going?" Ninaereul asked stomping through the snow after the elf. _

_He paused and glanced back at her before continuing. The girl was pretty but hardly enough to tempt him. The Elven prince had decided his answer to the proposal when something wet hit the back of his head. _

"_What the-" he said turning around just in time to dodge a snowball aimed at his face. The girl stared at him triumphantly and trekked the distance between them so they were merely a few feet apart. _

"_How dare you! Do you know who I am?" He demanded. _

"_How dare I? No, how dare you. Thanks to your comment I've lost dinner and not to mention good money for that meat." She seethed. _

"_So? It's not my problem," he retorted. _

"_It bloody well is your problem! You made me lose focus and I missed my shot!" she shouted. _

"_You missed your own shot. Perhaps you should work on focusing more." He snapped before turning around and stomping away again. _

_Ninaereul closed her eyes and counted to 10. At 10 she flung the open and lunged at the elf screaming bloody murder. He dodged easily and she cursed again as she slipped on the snow and began falling forward. Desperately she grabbed at his hand and grinned as she pulled him down with her. She got up first and pulled his hand upwards to her mouth. _

"_What are you doing?" he asked stunned. _

"_If you don't pay me for that deer I am going to bite your hand." She replied smiling maniacally. _

"_Pay you back? Absolutely not!" the Elf said beginning to pull back. _

"_You asked for it," she said shrugging. She licked her lips before clamping her teeth into his hand. Hard. _

"_YOU'RE FREAKING CRAZY! LET ME GO" the Elf screamed as he desperately tried to pull his hand from her teeth. She shook her head and stuck out her hand. The Elf kept pulling until finally, he relented. He pulled out a small pouch and placed it into her hand. Ninaereul released her hand and licked away the traces of blood on her mouth before smirking triumphantly at the Elf who gaped at his hand. _

"_You bloody monster," he muttered. _

"_Excuse you, I'm more of a delicate flower. Besides, you were being rude first." She scoffed inspecting the amount of money in the pouch. _

"_You're actually crazy. I can't imagine anyone who would marry someone like you." He said glaring at her and nursing his hand. _

"_Ha! Well I pity the poor elven maiden who gets stuck with your sorry ass. How could anyone put up with someone so pretentious and conceited!" She returned. _

"_How dare you speak to me like that? I am Thranduil, prince of Greenwood! You would be lucky to have me as a husband," he said indignantly._

"_Yes and I am the queen of Gondor. And I for one would rather die than be your wife. Imagine the torture. Now good day. Sir." She said brushing past him with the pouch jingling at her waist. Ninaereul smirked to herself. She had certainly shown that elf who was boss. And she even got some money off him. Although, now she faced the problem of finding diner. She quickened her pace and hoped to find a stall at the market before closing time. _

_Thranduil watched as the girl went back to town. A small smirk played on his lips. Go ahead. Think that you have won. But soon I will have my revenge. Thranduil turned and walked the other way. He had decided that he would accept the proposal. Things were getting a little boring anyway. _

"Now do you remember what I told you?"

Ninaereul snapped out of her thoughts as Coeleth's voice entered her mind.

"Ahh yes, I think so," Ninaereul said smiling lightly at the maid.

"Well let's hope so." Coeleth muttered. There was a knock at the door and Coeleth turned to go answer it. Ninaereul stared at her reflection in the mirror. She hoped that when the door opened she hoped that a different Thranduil would appear before eyes. That the elf in the woods was just lying to her. But it was in vain as her green eyes locked contact in the mirror with the deep blue eyes. No, she was not that lucky.

Thranduil sauntered over to his bride to be and knelt next to her so their heads were level. She stared nervously at the mirror, refusing to make eye contact with him.

He smiled cruelly and whispered into her ear, "Come, it's time."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>

**Ahhhh I've done it now! Welp this is my first ever fic so please be gentle! (If you have criticisms please keep them constructive! No bashing!) **

**I apologize if Thranduil seems OOC but he's such a hard character to write! But he's so fascinating at the same time! Aughhhh. The struggles. Also super sorry if this story upsets you Tolkien purists. If you have a problem with it I suggest you might want to stop reading LOTR/Hobbit fanfiction because it's probably going to make your blood boil regardless. Think of your health! Anyway, to the rest of you, I hope you enjoyed the story and please let me know what you think!**

**I will warn you now that this is going to be a slow burner romance so please do not expect a hot make out sesh in chapter two.**

**Also! I do not own anything except our lovely heroine, Ninaereul! This sadly means I do not own Lee Pace's eyebrows of sex. (*sobs*)**


	2. Chapter 2

I groaned internally again as my horse stumbled over another bump. We had been riding for several days now and I suppose the thing about Elves is they never get tired. Or if they did it never showed on their impeccable masks. Regardless, my butt was unbearably sore and I needed some distraction.

Thranduil had thankfully not spoken to me at all after the rather speedy ceremony. I hadn't even been given a chance to say goodbye to my father and it worried me. He had become a shell of the man he once was and I didn't know if he would last long by himself. I made a mental note to make sure I visited him as soon as we got to our destination. Speaking of which, if Thranduil was the prince of Greenwood, why exactly are we leaving said woods? Judging by the cold reception of his parents, I had begun to suspect that Thranduil had been exiled or something. I was pulled from my thoughts when Thranduil finally spoke up.

"We are halfway there. We will rest here tonight," he commanded, gesturing towards a small clearing. I could have hugged him if he wasn't so awful for that piece of news. Coeleth quickly made her way to me and gently helped me off the horse. Gods, everything hurt. I winced and uncomfortably walked towards the small tent. Coeleth pulled me inside after her and I marveled at the pretty pattern on the inside. It was a deep blue marked with silver swirling patterns all over. There was a single cot and a small table where some bags rested. Coeleth was rummaging through the bags and pulled out a white night dress. She put it on the bed and made to help me undress.

"That's okay! I can do it!" I insisted pulling away. I quickly took off the uncomfortable riding gear and slipped into the soft dress. I smiled at the small little comfort and reminder of home. I half expected to turn around and see Papa there with some hot cocoa, but instead I found Coeleth gesturing for me to sit on the bed. I sighed and obliged her. She began to gently comb through my hair and work through the many tangles. We were both silent as she worked and the Elven woman seemed content with that although I was itching to ask her questions.

"Coeleth, why are we leaving Greenwood? Aren't we supposed to live there?" I couldn't see her, but Coeleth seemed to stiffen.

"Prince Thranduil lives in Lindon. He only goes to Greenwood for official duties," she said simply.

"But he's the _prince_ of Greenwood," I stressed stubbornly. Coeleth clucked and came to stand in front of me.

"Of course he's the prince of Greenwood. He simply lives in Lindon." Coeleth repeated.

"Yes, but-" I began.

"That's quite enough questions I think," a smooth voice interrupted. To my annoyance the hair on my neck rose a little as I turned to lock eyes with his startling blue ones. Coeleth glanced between the two of us, bowed, and quickly excused herself. I halfheartedly considered asking her to stay but I knew she would refuse.

Thranduil leisurely slipped off riding shirt and pulled on a looser tunic. With eyes still watching me he began to take of his pants which was when I sharply turned around. I could hear him chuckle lightly.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"Come, come. Don't be shy. We're married after all." Thranduil purred as he waltzed his way towards me. We were now facing each other and I gulped as he began to lean in. His eyes remained trained on mine as his face drew closer and closer. It was simply inches from mine and I could taste our breaths mixing.

"This is hardly as scandalous as it could be," he whispered. I scooted back defensively as he matched me with a step forward.

"You haven't answered my question." I pointed out.

"I'm just visiting my dear wife," he said innocently. He leaned in close to my face again and this time I was prepared. I pulled my head back and quickly snapped it forward in a sharp head butt. Thranduil yelped in surprise and drew back.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated, this time with more force. Thranduil was glaring at me furiously although his face remained in a mask.

Putting my hands on my hip, I demanded, "What did you say?".

"Yes what am I doing in my own tent I wonder?" He spat out and shuffled away searching for something. I watched him for a moment before processing what he just said.

"Why do we have to share a tent?" I sniffed unhappily.

"Because we're married. Do try to keep up, I can't possibly survive a stupidity otherwise," he said smirking at me before producing a mirror from his bag. I had to stifle a snort as he began to inspect his forehead muttering something about "bloody women" and his imminent revenge. I glanced around and the gravity of the situation dawned on me. There was only one cot in this tent. I eyed Thranduil as I inched towards the cot slowly. While he remained preoccupied, I quickly settled myself into the bed. There was no way I was sacrificing this comfort after 3 days on that god forsaken animal.

"What are you doing?" Thranduil asked, turning around to face the cot.

"Me?" I countered, feigning innocence, "I was just really tired so I think I will go to sleep first. Be a dear and put out the lamp please." I smiled proudly at myself and pulled the blanket over my head. Thranduil quickly yanked it back off so I was forced to look at him.

"Yes, that's all very good, but why are you on my bed?" he growled.

"Your bed? Surely it does not have your name on it." I countered. He practically rolled his eyes.

"I suggest you relinquish the bed and go sleep over there." He said gesturing to a small corner of the room. I raised an eyebrow at him in challenge and simply turned around, snuggling tightly with the blanket.

"No." I said simply.

"Now."

"Not happening."

"You will do as you're told."

I scoffed. "Even my father doesn't tell me that. Now please stop acting like a child! I am sore and tired and going to sleep." For a moment there was silence and I thought that I had won. Then I felt two hands grab me and I was suddenly lifted off the cot.

"Hey!" I shouted as he dumped me unceremoniously on the ground. I tried to run back to the bed but I was not match for his elven reflexes as he was already laying down on the bed by the time I reached it.

"That's not fair," I pouted and attempted to push him off. He remained unmoving to my growing frustration and I began to just hit him.

"It's not fair." I repeated over and over again as hot tears threatened to form on my eyes. No. I would not cry. Not in front of him. Swallowing tears was awful but his contempt was even worse. I angrily wiped at my eyes as he turned to face me. For a second he just stared at me and I thought he might offer the bed back so I gave him my best puppy dog eyes.

He snorted delicately and pushed my forehead with a finger. "Go to sleep."

I scowled and trudged back to my corner. The ground was cold and it seemed to bring back the tears. I missed the comfort of my home. My warm bed. The times when I couldn't sleep and Papa would read to me till I fell asleep. The smell of pine and wood and a warm fire. The taste of the crisp sea breeze.

It was all gone.

Now I tasted was the salt in my tears and smelled the strange floral earthy scent of the elves. There was no Papa to lull me to sleep, just me and my thoughts. And I couldn't think of anything calming or happy. I pitied myself. The situation I was in. The fact that for the rest of my life I was tied to this man. I thought about what Papa said.

"Don't rely on others to make you happy Nina. Some things, yes, are out of your control. But there are many more factors in your control. Have faith in yourself and make your own happiness."

So perhaps I had to make my own happiness with the stupid prince. But Papa never told me how and now more than ever I wish he had. As I pondered my situation, exhaustion took over and I drifted away into dreams.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ahhhh I'm an awful person and I haven't updated in ages. I went back to college so I've been super busy with all that jazz. D: I will try to make updates more frequently so I apologize to all the readers. <strong>

**Also, as you may have noticed I switched to first person. I'm not sure why but I just found it easier to write and I think for the most part I'm going to keep it in first person. So I'm sorry if you liked the third person, it just wasn't clicking for me. I might go back and change the last chapter later but for now I'm keeping it as it is.**

**Thank you to the people who followed and favorite this story! Internet cookies for you! And an even bigger thank you (and cookies) to YoursAnnie, morganclaire1, and Rachael Hyuuga for their support, enthusiasm, and reviews! You guys rock! **

**So as always, thank you for reading and please leave a review letting me know what you think! **

**Xoxox**

**Sunky**

**PS. I still do not own Thranduil, Middle Earth, and Lee Pace's eyebrows of sex. **


	3. Chapter 3

"Your highness, please wake up" a soft voice murmured, pulling me out of my sleep. I opened my eyes and stared glossily at Coeleth's face which was leaning over mine. Satisfied that I was awake after I had blinked wearily a couple of times, she pulled me up to a sitting position. It was then that I realized that I was on the cot.

"What? Why am I here?" I muttered drowsily as she pulled me to stand.

Coeleth looked at me as if I was stupid before saying, "You slept here of course. Now please change quickly so we may depart as soon as possible."

"But I slept on the ground," I insisted. Coeleth said nothing and instead offered me a new set of riding clothes. She either believed that I was insane or simply did not want to argue with me. I couldn't say I blamed her. After I changed, she quickly ushered me out of the tent and instructed me to eat the porridge she had shoved in my hand. I wandered outside and was surprised to see that most of the company was almost ready to go despite the early hour. By my guess, it was only a little past sunrise. The elves were either mounting their horses or folding up the tents. I looked down at my porridge and moved it around with my spoon. I took a small bite and frowned. It was bland. I looked around me and when I made sure no one was looking, I quickly dumped the remaining porridge behind a bush. I turned around quickly and smacked into someone's chest.

"Ow" I grumbled rubbing my nose and looking up at my assailant. He was leanly built like most elves and had long brown hair which was half pinned back and matching brown eyes. I recognized him as the elf who shadowed Thranduil's every step.

"My apologies your highness. I did not intend to frighten you. My name is Elendil of Carnersir and I have been asked to escort you to your horse," he said and bowed swiftly before I could get a word in.

"Erm. It's alright," I muttered before looking behind me at the bush. I turned back to look at him and turned slightly pink as I noticed that his eyes had followed my line of vision and had been staring at the bush as well. "Did you see that?" I asked shamefully, picking at the bowl in my hands.

He hesitated and then said, "Only if you wanted me to."

I looked up in surprise and met his eyes. He was smiling kindly and he was the first elf whose smile actually reached his eyes. I smiled back shyly and said "Can we pretend that you didn't?".

"Of course, your highness. Now, please allow me to escort you back." He said and offered his hand. I took it and allowed him to lead me through the camp to my horse. To my surprise, I saw that all of my bags were already there and the saddle had already been prepared.

"If I may?" Elendil asked, gesturing to the horse. I nodded and he quickly helped me mount the steed.

"Thank you." I said as he turned to leave. He turned around and smiled at me again. He nodded slightly before walking away. As he walked away, Coeleth approached me quickly on her own horse.

"Are you ready?" she asked looking me over. I nodded and began to follow her as she led me to the rest of the group who had already started moving. As we began to ride I wondered back to the cot. For some reason, Thranduil had moved me back. And for that I needed to thank him. But part of me did not want to thank him. That part could already see his smug expression. He would take my word of thanks as a sign of defeat. And I was not about to lose. Again. But I had said thank you so quickly to Elendil. But he was nice, I argued. Still I would have to do something for Thranduil.

It took us another two days to reach Lindon and when we finally did, I was rather captivated. It was different than the coastal forests near my home and it was even different than the temperate forest of Greenwood. Lindon was magnificent yet dark. An eerie mist covered the forest and from the outside the trees seemed to peek out here and there. The air was crisp and cold and the only sounds were the soft but distant calls of a hawk. As I stared at the forest, it seemed to occur to me how far away from home I truly was. A quick shiver rocked my body and it was violent enough for Coeleth to notice. She tried to grab something from her bag but Elendil was faster. He placed his jacket delicately on my shoulder and smiled. I couldn't help but smile in return and pulled the jacket tighter around my body. It smelled like musk and dead leaves. I couldn't help but snuggle a little more into it but stopped when I noticed a pair of cerulean eyes watching me. I looked up to meet his gaze but I could not read anything from it as his face was a mask. He held my gaze for a little bit before turning around and proudly pushing his nose in the air. I scowled and couldn't help but wonder what had gotten into him.

Thranduil led the company into the forest in a single file line. I was ushered in between Elendil and Coeleth. The path that we traveled was twisty and soon I had forgotten which way we had come into the forest. It worried me though because there was a sense that I was trapped in the dark forest. But no one else seemed to share that concern. We traveled for another hour or so before reaching a small lake with a waterfall. I watched in awe as Thranduil delicately parted the waterfall. Through the gap I could see a cave or tunnel illuminated by the soft glow of Elven light.

As Thranduil kept the water ajar, one by one, the company walked through. When it was my turn I approached the tunnel tentatively. Thranduil's face did not reveal anything but something about his eyes made me nervous. I passed through almost completely when I felt something cold and wet fall down my back. I yelped and my horse surged forward nearly making me loose balance. I quickly regained the reigns and calmed the horse down. I turned around sharply and glared at Thranduil.

"What was that for?" I demanded.

"It was an accident. My apologies. Now keep moving, you're holding everyone up," he said not even trying to contain the smirk which formed on his face. I wanted to respond but could not as Coeleth slipped through the gap and stared at me when I did not move. Fuming, I turned my head and followed the fading shadow of Elendil.

**AN: sorry for the late update and short chapter! But a lot happens in this one! We meet the super smooth Elendil who might give Thranduil some competition if he keeps up his million dollar smiles. Teehee. Okay next chapter we finally enter the "palace" (I'm not sure what to call it..) and of course expect more antics from Nina! She has to repay Thranduil for the water trick after all. And who knows maybe she'll even sneak in a thank you. **

**Thanks so much to the people who reviewed, favorited, and followed! You guys all rock and totally make my day! Please continue to show your support by reviewing and all that jazz!**

**xoxox**

**Sunky **

**PS: I only own Nina, Coeleth, Elendil and their respective horses. **


	4. Chapter 4

As we entered out of the tunnel a large meadow layered in mist greeted us. At the center of the meadow there seemed to be a large lake with small rivers running from the center like veins. Surrounding the lake there were elegant buildings made of white marble decorated with elaborate designs and arching windows. At the middle was the tallest building which had its beautifully carved gates opened so you could see inside the city. These were the halls of Lindon, home of Lord Galad and his Lady Indaris and there they were standing by the gates, waiting for our arrival. Coeleth ushered me towards the front and instructed me to follow Thranduil's example. My horse trotted alongside his but just a little behind so I could watch his movements.

His face remained stoic and his eyes did not leave the front but he softly whispered, "I know that I must look rather regal, but please desist staring at me."

I pouted. How did he know I was watching him? "I don't mean to stare, I was told to follow your example so I'm watching to see what you're doing." I justified.

"Well, I am certainly not staring at other people, am I?" he questioned. I frowned and turned my gaze forward but kept what I hoped was a subtle watch from the corner of my eye. Coeleth seemed to think it was vital that I made a good impression so I certainly did not want to mess this up. When we reached the small party that was there to greet us, Thranduil jumped off his horse and bowed his head. Quickly, I followed suit.

"Welcome back, Prince Thranduil. Please, lift your head. I trust your journey went well?" a soft but deep voice asked. I moved to lift my head but a slight nudge from Coeleth forced me to keep my head down. Instead I flicked my eyes upward in an attempt to find the speaker. It seemed to be a rather pale elf with elegant blonde hair and mossy green eyes. Judging by the delicate crown on his head, this must have been Lord Galad.

Thranduil confirmed that for me as he said, "Thank you once again for your kindness Lord Galad. It is truly an honor to stay in your magnificent halls. The journey was rather tiring and we are eager to retire to our chambers and recover our strength."

"Of course. Marion will lead you to your chambers. But first, I must meet your wife. Please lift your head, Princess Ninaereul, I much wish to see your face. " Lord Galad said kindly. I lifted my head up slowly like Coeleth trained me to. Lord Galad smiled at me kindly and I tentatively returned it.

"My, the rumors are true. You are quite beautiful indeed my lady," he said his mossy eyes twinkling. I tried very hard not to blush.

"I hardly deserve such a compliment my lord but I thank you nonetheless," I said lowering my eyes again.

He laughed and said, "My, such modesty. You truly are like your mother."

"You knew my mother my lord?" I asked trying to hide the surprise in my tone.

"Yes we did! She was our cousin," a new voice exclaimed. I turned my gaze to lock eyes with another blonde elf, but unlike Lord Galad she had gray eyes which held a certain warmth to them. "Your mother and I were very close when we were young," she continued. "I miss her every day."

"As do I Lady…" I trailed off.

"Indaris. It is so very good to meet you," she said clasping my hands warmly. I smiled softly at my mother's old friend and her smile seemed to grow even wider.

"Now, we shall have plenty of time to catch up, but first let us allow our guests to rest. Handir, please show them to their chambers," Lord Galad instructed while gesturing to an elf who approached us and bowed. I almost bowed back but stopped myself when I noticed that Thranduil was not bowing. Thranduil began to follow the elf but I stayed back, a little unsure.

"Go on. I will come and get you ready for dinner," Coeleth said gently, urging me forward.

"Thank you, it's just…" I began but found myself unable to continue. This was it. My new life. It had been it since the moment I married Thranduil. But I had denied and denied but as I was hovering over the threshold of this stranger's home, it never was so clear to me. I smiled at Coeleth regardless and turned and followed Thranduil.

Our guide, Handir, led us through the gates, up a flight of stairs and through several hallways before pausing in front of a large set of doors. He pushed them open to reveal a spacious room of soft green hues and elegant decorations. There was a large round table in the center with several chairs surrounding it as well as two sitting areas and two doors on opposite sides. The table was decorated by a variety of greenery as well as some small flowers. There was also a jug and a bowl of fruits and a small loaf of bread. Beyond the table was a small balcony which overlooked the lake. When Handir left the room Thranduil lazily padded over to the table and took a seat. I drifted over to the balcony and leaned at the edge and closed my eyes and let my other senses overtake me. I ignored the scent of the pine which hung to the lake and tried instead to substitute the smell of sea water and salt. The sounds of the animals began to be replaced with the sound of the ocean waves lapping up on the shore and I could have sworn that in that moment I was no longer in Lindon but rather back home.

"Do you like the view?" Thranduil asked and the moment was gone. I eyed him to see if he was teasing me but his eyes seemed to indicate genuine curiosity. I nodded and that seemed to satisfy him.

"Well, I hate to interrupt, but come. Let us have a drink," he said, gesturing to the jug. Eyeing the jug, an idea came to me. Perhaps I would have my revenge sooner than I thought.

"Would you like me to pour?" I asked grabbing the jug firmly.

"Why not?" he asked eying me carefully. When I poured his cup without incidence he relaxed his gaze and looked around the room. "Your room is through the door on your right."

"Oh? We have separate rooms?" I asked raising my eyebrows as I finished pouring my cup.

"Despite your eagerness, you are still not yet of age and it would be improper. Although I hardly understand why cons- AUGH!" I had cut short his explanation by dropping the contents of my cup onto his lap.

"Oops. My hand slipped." I said innocently and tried not to laugh. This proved to be futile as he continued to fluster and fume and my giggles fell way to full blown out laughter.

His flustering turned to anger though as he rose from his chair and grabbed the jug. I stopped laughing and stared at him seriously flicking my eyes between the jug and his murderous face. He began to advance towards me and I began to back away. His pace quickened and mine's mirrored his. Pretty soon, he was running through the room after me and I began to laugh again as my homesickness slipped away. I knew I couldn't outrun him forever so I quickly dashed to the door which led to my room and wrenched the door open and tried to shut it as fast as possible. I would have been successful but Thranduil shoved his foot in the frame at the last minute.

"Not so fast, you cannot just escape after that little performance," he reprimanded but there was no malice in his tone. In fact, there seemed to be a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

"It's payback. For the waterfall incident, we're even now." I explained while trying very uselessly to close the door. I would need a distraction if I was going to be successful because for such a lithe elf, Thranduil was very strong.

Thranduil bared his teeth as his smirk widened into a full out sly smile and said "Well I do not like to get even. I like to be on top."

"Kinky," I muttered before I could stop myself. Thranduil rose a single eyebrow and I took the moment to stomp down on his foot with all the possible force I could muster. It proved to be effective because he quickly yanked away and I slammed the door and locked it before sliding down and settling on the floor. I could make out some of Thranduil's grumblings and it made me giggle. I sat there and waited patiently until I heard his door close. I carefully unlocked my own door and poked my head outside. Once I was sure the coast was clear I made my way across the room and paused in front of Thranduil's door. I prepared myself mentally for what I was about to do. Tentatively, I reached up an knocked on the door.

"Yes?" his voice drifted a little mutedly through the door.

"It's me. But don't come outside. Just..listen." I instructed and held the door handles in case he wanted to try something. He didn't respond to my request and took a deep breath before continuing.

"I wanted to thank you actually. Um for giving me the cot and for getting us separate beds. But also, for not being completely awful to me. Um, I know that I'm not what you probably expected in a wife, but I'll try my best to fulfill my duties both as your wife and as a princess to your people.." I paused for a breath and once again when he didn't respond I continued.

"I..uhh..I'm…well, to be honest, this has been hard for me. But I promised my father that I would do my best, so that's what I intend to do. But it's going to be hard if we're constantly trying to one up each other…so…basically, what I'm um trying to say is that..um..we should be friends. Or something."

Or something. Gods, I was so stupid. But it didn't matter. I had said my piece.

**AN: Holy smokes Batman, it's an update! Crazy. So sorry to keep all you lovely folks waiting but I hoped the little fluff was rewarding. Prepare yourself though there's going to be some angst coming in the next chapter! Speaking of the next chapter I've already started working on it so expect an update soon! (That's why this chapter kind of has an abrupt ending because I realized I would be stuffing too much into it.)**

**Anyway thank you to all the people who reviewed, favorited, and followed! You guys rock and I love you and I'm sorry that I made you wait! Lots of hugs and butterfly kisses your way! If you could leave more reviews it will be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much guys!**

**As always, I do not own Thranduil nor anything else that belongs to Tolkein. Lord Galad is my shortened version of the actual character Lord Gil Galad and Lindon is basically the area west of the Shire and contains the Grey Havens which you may recall from the end of Return of the King. I took some liberties in describing it and I hope you guys don't mind too much! **

**Till next time! **


	5. Chapter 5

I waited outside his door for a long time for an answer but I never received one. Dismayed, I walked back to my room and opened the door. As I was about to close it, I heard his door open. I turned around in surprise. For a brief moment we just stared at one another and I tried to read his thoughts through the mask of his face. It gave away nothing. I was about to turn away when he suddenly smiled at me. It threw me off and I stared at him waiting for him to speak. He made his way and picked up an apple and tossed it around in his hands.

"That was rather sweet of you."

"What was?"

"Offering friendship. Very sweet, but inevitably naïve. I have no interest in being your friend. You are my wife and now a princess. I expect you to fill that role."

I frowned at him and countered, "I understand that. But what does that have to do with friendship?"

He sighed and took a bite out of his apple. He chewed contemplatively but kept his eyes trained on me. I shifted uneasily under his gaze. Something in his eyes was making me uncomfortable.

"If, you are asking me to support you because I am your husband, I suppose I can try," he said finally. "I am not really good at taking care of or even protecting others. It is my flaw. I am afraid I cannot change it as it is something I was born with. No matter how I look at it, I do not think my shoulder is one that anyone can rely on."

Support me? Why would he need to support me? And honestly, could he be more self-involved? I tried to keep my growing anger in check but something like a grimace must have showed on my face because he gave a dry chuckle.

"Come now, do not look at me like that. I am feeling sorry here." He abandoned his half eaten apple on the table and walked towards me as he wiped his hand on his sleeve. I wanted nothing more than to punch him in his smug but annoyingly pretty little face.

He stopped in front of me and stared down. He extended his hand, smirked, and said, "I suppose I can listen to your hardships. How about it?"

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I scoffed angrily and smacked his and away.

"Who asked you to back me up? I am perfectly capable of standing up for myself. Don't make me laugh."

His smirk was gone and replaced with a thin line. Stepping back, he said, "Where you not just offering your friendship a moment ago?"

"I thought it would make things easier but clearly I was mistaken. I didn't know beforehand that this display is what you call compassion. How absolutely infuriating. Do you think anyone would want to be your friend when you practically drip with such condescension? It's infuriating." I scowled and considered saying more. I wanted to tell him he was awful and rude and that he probably had no friends but honestly, I was a little scared of pushing him too far. I had never seen Thranduil being furious and I decided that I probably would not want to. Regardless, his face became very cold.

"You are going to regret this. When we return to Greenwood and the palace formalities suffocate you, you are going to wish that you had not let your silly pride and temper sway you."

"I think I'll be just fine. Thank you so much for your concern." I said sarcastically. I turned to walk away but his wording still bothered me. I whirled around so I faced him again and asked, "What do you mean suffocate?"

"An elleth like you, who bites strangers and grew up uninhibited, cannot survive in a world of walls and rules and formalities."

"Then kindly explain why you married an elleth like me." I demanded. It was a question that had been bothering me for some time now. Why had Thranduil agreed to this match? Despite the agreement, I was hardly of his standing and I certainly lacked the pedigree to be a princess. And, as he pointed out, I had not made the ideal first impression. I had agreed partially because I hope to find out why he had agreed and it seemed that I would have my answer. But despite my curiosity I found myself dreading his words as a cruel smile slipped on to his face. I shivered instinctively and wondered how many people crumpled under that smile. He stepped closer and leaned in so his face was close to mine. It seemed to be a habit of this as he done it before as we traveled to Lindon.

"I thought it would be fun," he said softly; his eyes holding mine and gauging my reaction. I tried to keep a blank face as his ironically warm breath tickled my face.

"I thought it would be fun to see how someone like you, so wild and full of life would fare." He smirked as I worked hard to control my shaking hands.

"I thought it would be funny to see my father's reaction." His voice was low and taunting. He drew closer so his face was only a hand width away from mine before continuing "I thought-"

With a sharp shove I cut him off and glared at him, no longer bothering to hide my anger. There was a low heat building up in my cheeks, colouring them pink, as I tried to draw myself to full height. I was still a head shorter than him but that wasn't about to stop me.

"How dare you." I said in the calmest voice I could manage as I did not want him to criticize my temper again. I jabbed a finer at his chest before continuing, "Do you think this a game? How dare you play with someone's life like that. I am not here for your entertainment."

For a moment we both just stood there and stared at each other. He oozed cold fury with his rigid back while my hot anger was causing me to shake. We did not speak to each other but somehow communicated with our eyes. The charge in our looks slowly shifting in reaction to the other's and often mimicking each other. Our tempers slowly died down. We were both still upset but no longer as furious. I broke the silence.

"I've heard a lot of things about you. I've also thought a lot of things about you. But right now I don't know what to make of you. To be honest, I am upset and a bit disgusted. I wanted to know you better, but now I'm not so sure."

With that, I stood up and walked to my room. Once I was safely inside the closed doors I could not help but crumble down in a heap. It was nerve wracking and exhausting with Thranduil. I found myself wanting to dominate him yet also wanting to be submissive. Our little eye game concerned me. I was far too invested into what he thought of me. Since when did a stranger's opinion matter so much to me? Was it because he was my husband? I couldn't say.

Regardless, I was determined to prove him wrong. I would not crumble under the pressure of the palace. If Thranduil wanted to place me in a cage, then he would have to watch me sing everyday.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Look who finally updated! Meeeeeee! Thank you to all the folks who have been so patient with me! You guys rock! I would give you hugs and cookies if I could. You'll have to live with virtual ones I suppose. I hope you guys caught that little maya angelou reference at the end. I wasn't particularly subtle was I?<strong>

**To the reviewers who think Nina is falling for Thranduil...heehee. I may have been a bit mean to you. But hey she seemes confused about her feelings so we have to see how that plays out... Also out of curiosity what are your thoughts on Thranduil's feelings? I think I might do a POV for him soon so I would like to hear your thoughts! **

**Anywhoo. Please expect an update around Labor Day weekend. Until then dear readers!**

**Love,**

**Sunky **

**P.S. I still do not own things and characters belonging to Tolkein or Peter Jackson. **


End file.
